The new and improved Atlas robot picking up a box. Google’s Boston Dynamics has already created some impressive robots, but its latest generation of Atlas, a bipedal robot is uncanny. The new Atlas is so impressive that it has critics terrified of what Boston Dynamics will create next. (via Boston Dynamics)
Google’s Boston Dynamics has been known for making very advanced robots over the past few years, particularly for government contracts. Currently, while Boston Dynamics has made public statements that they won't be taking on more government contracts, they have upgraded their Atlas robot to the next, frightfully advanced, generation. The latest generation Atlas robot is able to walk on two legs even in rough, snow-covered terrain, pickup boxes, open doors and more. The Boston Dynamics YouTube video demonstrates some of Atlas’ capabilities. What's most impressive about this generation is its capability to balance and dynamically react to its environment. Within the video, the Boston Dynamics crew pushes Atlas and pushes the box out of Atlas’s hands and reach. In every case, Atlas was able to reassess the situation and decide a new course of action to complete its goal.
While the latest Atlas robot is still a bit too slow and loud to be used in combat, it certainly seems like these robots have enough capabilities to become a new fleet of Amazon warehouse workers. It isn't yet clear what Boston Dynamics plans to do with this new and improved Atlas, however, Matt Novak of Gizmo’s Paleofuture blog has serious concerns for how Atlas and other advanced robotics will change the nature of warfare within our lifetime. While Boston Dynamics may be a private company that no longer holds a close affiliation with government defense organizations, like DARPA, this wont stop the defense departments from acquiring such technologies and improving them for combat.
Matt Novak notes serious reasons for concern as current innovations forecast that highly superior, dexterous robots will soon become easier and cheaper to create as years progress. The Department of Defense (DoD) has already noted that they plan to “harvest” private technology for national interest. This means that simply buying and re-purposing robots like Atlas for future armies could become normal. Of course, as the price of such technologies drops, it will not only become accessible to the United States DoD, but also terrorist organizations. The most pervasive problem with utilizing a robotic fleet of soldiers and airplanes to fight wars is that it converts warfare into an easy and apathetic exercise. If human soldiers are no longer involved in warfare, then to what end will wars be fought? Also, will the Public achieve a new level of apathy as they cease to care – contented by unchecked consumerism?
On one hand, it doesn't seem like the robot apocalypse will necessarily end in an iRobot like fashion – at least not in our lifetime. Instead, it will simply open a new era where governments find new ways to inflict harm on people with increased ease, and decreased personal responsibility. What does this mean for future civilian life? Probably that robot butlers may actually be around sooner than you think. However, it also means that many tasks which were once completed by humans will be replaced with robots and software automation.
The Atlantic article, “A World Without Work” by Derek Thompson gives an exceptional view of how America’s workforce will change due to continued technological advancements within the next few decades. Perhaps Boston Dynamic’s new Atlas robot is just forecasting the dynamic changes yet to come.
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